Robert Thornton* – Athlete (2014 Inductee)

Robert Thornton

1954 Class AA All-State Tackle
1954 Alabama Boys’ State Director of Archives and History
1955-1958 University of Alabama Four year football scholarship
23 Year Distinguished Military Career U.S. Army Aviation Officer
1985 Formed Thornton Properties, LLC
President Marshall County Board of Realtors
Past State Director of the Alabama Board of Realtors
Life Member of the Alabama Million Dollar Club
2001-2002 State President Alabama Wildlife Federation

Robert Thornton is truly a man for all seasons. A scholar, an athlete, a patriot, an entrepreneur, and a benevolent spirit afford a glimpse into the portrait that illustrates the Hall of Fame career of Robert C. Thornton. Thornton was a four-year letterman in basketball and football at Cherokee County High School. At 17 years old, Thornton was selected to the all-state football team as a tackle his senior season. Thornton also excelled in the classroom and was chosen to represent Cherokee County High School at Boys State, where he was elected to the office of Director of Archives & History. A four-year football scholarship provided Thornton the opportunity to graduate from the University of Alabama with a major in Industrial Management along with minors in Accounting and Marketing. Thornton would enter the U.S. Army and serve 23 distinguished years as an Aviation Officer. In 1985, he formed Thornton Properties, LLC in Guntersville. He served as President of the Marshall County Board of Realtors, Past State Director of the Alabama Board of Realtors and is a Life Member of the Million Dollar Club. An avid outdoors man, Thornton’s interest also included the Alabama Wildlife Federation, where he served as the organization’s president in 2001-2002.